If you’re a mama raising a neurodivergent child, you already know this truth: your day can go from “fine” to “full chaos” in seconds. Between school calls, sensory overload, meltdowns, work, dinner, and the emotional load of advocating and holding it all together, the idea of “self-care” can feel laughable.

Here’s the good news: a reset does not need an hour, a bubble bath, or a perfectly calm house. Ten minutes is enough to shift your nervous system, lower overwhelm, and help you show up with a little more patience and clarity. Especially if you’re also neurodivergent (ADHD, autistic, AuDHD), micro-resets are not a luxury. They’re a support strategy.

Why 10 minutes actually works for your nervous system

When you’re stuck in stress mode, your body is looking for safety. A short reset helps because it:
**Interrupts the stress spiral before it becomes a shutdown, snap, or tears.
**Supports regulation, which is the foundation of calmer parenting and calmer kids.
**Feels doable, which matters when you’re burnt out or have ADHD (long routines can backfire).
**Models regulation for your neurodivergent child, even if they don’t copy it right away.

Think of it like plugging your phone in for a quick charge. It’s not a full night of sleep, but it’s enough to keep going.

10 Reset Moments for Neurodivergent Moms (10 Minutes or Less)
Pick one. Do not try to do all ten. The best reset is the one you’ll actually do in real life.

1) The “Breath + Shoulders” Reset (2 minutes)
Inhale for 4.
Exhale for 6.
As you exhale, drop your shoulders away from your ears.
Repeat 5 times and whisper: “I’m safe. This is just a moment.”

2) Cold Water Hands Reset (1 minute)
Run cold water over your hands and wrists. This is a fast sensory reset that can reduce stress and bring you back into your body when you feel panicky or overstimulated.

3) The “Name 5” Grounding Reset (3 minutes)
Look around and name:
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Great for anxiety, ADHD overwhelm, and that floaty “I can’t cope” feeling.

4) The Doorway Boundary Reset (30 seconds)
Put your hand on the doorframe before you enter the next room and say:
“What do I need in the next 10 minutes to get through this?”
Choose one tiny need: water, quiet, food, support, a plan.

5) The “Move the Stress Out” Reset (5 minutes)
Set a timer and do any of these:
**march in place
**wall push-ups
**shake out arms and legs
**stretch calves and neck
Movement helps ADHD brains and stressed nervous systems discharge adrenaline.

6) The Kitchen Timer Reset (10 minutes)
Set a timer for 10 minutes and do one small task that makes tomorrow easier:
refill water bottles
set out clothes
pack a snack bag
clear one surface
This is a reset because it reduces future overwhelm, which is a major trigger for neurodivergent families.

7) The “Snack + Protein” Reset (7 minutes)
If you’re snappy, shaky, or weepy, check food first.
Have something with protein: cheese, yoghurt, nuts, eggs, turkey slices, peanut butter toast. Pair it with water. Regulation gets harder when your body is running on fumes.

8) The Micro-Plan Reset (6 minutes)
-Write three lines:
-What’s hard right now?
-What’s the next right step?
-What can wait?
This is especially helpful for ADHD paralysis and decision fatigue.

9) The “Lower the Inputs” Sensory Reset (5 minutes)
–Reduce sensory load fast:
–dim lights
–lower volume
–put one earbud in with brown noise or a calm playlist
–step into the bathroom for quiet
For mamas raising autistic kids, this one can change the whole evening.

10) The Kind Sentence Reset (60 seconds)
Put a hand on your chest and say one kind, true sentence:
“This is a tough day, not a tough life.”
“I’m learning. My child is learning.”
“I can do the next 10 minutes.”
Self-talk matters because shame makes stress louder.

How to make this realistic (so it actually happens)
Choose one reset that fits your hardest time of day (morning, after school, bedtime).
Save it in your phone as “10 minute reset.”
Tell yourself: I’m not fixing my life, I’m shifting my state.

Ten minutes won’t remove the hard parts of neurodivergent parenting, but it can soften the edges. And sometimes that’s the difference between surviving the day and feeling like yourself again.

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